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Building Energy Retrofits

What do you think about the City's proposed policy that would require major residential building renovations to be more energy efficient?

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75 registered responses


Did you view the workshop video provided above?

Response Percent Response Count
Yes 89.3% 67
No 10.7% 8

What feedback do you have on the proposed policy (including project applicability, compliance measures, and exemptions)?

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Name not available outside Neighborhoods
March 27, 2024, 7:23 AM
  • Did you view the workshop video provided above?
    • Yes
  • What feedback do you have on the proposed policy (including project applicability, compliance measures, and exemptions)?

    This is a great start! I am a researcher with over 25 years of experience in energy efficiency and CO2-reducing demand flexibility living in SLO County. To make an even bigger difference in CO2 emissions, SLO might also consider Demand Flexibility in water heaters and thermostats under this program. Flexible Demand Appliances (see CA SB49 and current state regulatory efforts) are designed to make use of existing CO2 emissions "signals" (see California SGIP and/or WattTime) to gently, imperceptibly shift energy use out of dirty hours and into clean hours. There are ways to do this now, and some even more interesting possibilities coming up. SLO might be an excellent place to test one of these new opportunities in thermostats and water heaters, which could shift, as your presentation says, 80-90% of SLO electricity use to clean electricity. The cost of the program is low relative to other measures ($2-$10 per appliance per year; analysis available) and SLO could potentially get Fed or State funding to implement a pilot while becoming a leader in carbon reductions. Please contact me if you are interested in chatting about this.
    (p.s. no I'm not looking for work - I'm already fully employed and just hoping to use my skillset to help my local community.)

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Step 1: Read this:

To help cut greenhouse gas emissions fom energy use in San Luis Obispo, City staff have developed a draft policy for major additions and major alterations to exiting buildings. The proposed policy would:

  • Require major residential additions of 500 or more square feet and major residential alterations affecting 50% of a home’s total floor space to include energy efficiency measures;
  • Offer three compliance pathways for project owners to choose from including installing energy efficiency measures such as attic and pipe insulation, installing a heat pump water heater, or installing a heat pump air heating/cooling system;
  • Require zero-emission readiness via reserved breakers, conduit, and wiring runs, and labeled outlets for future zero-emission appliance upgrades in projects that are electively upgrading their electrical service and electrical panel; and
  • Provide exemptions for projects that are the result of a repair, have previously installed energy efficiency measures, or projects that would be financially or physically infeasible.

Importantly, the proposed policy would not regulate gas cooking equipment or other kitchen equipment or appliances, require electrification, or be triggered by small projects like floorings, window replacement, kitchen upgrades, or single appliance replacements, due to regulatory limitations. 

Step 2: Download and review the presentation slides OR watch the video below. 

Staff presented the proposed policy at two workshops in March of 2024. At these workshops, staff provided an in-depth presentation about the proposed policy. A recorded version of the presentation is available below. Download and review the presentation slides. 

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